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Telegraph
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Genesis GV70 Electrified review: This large electric SUV prioritises comfort over driver thrills
After a promising first few years, Genesis sales slipped by 11 per cent in 2024 to only 1,210 – a sum that will hardly concern established premium brands. However, as one member of its staff put it to me, 'The Koreans just don't give up'. Genesis knows its greatest battle is brand recognition, which is why it is entering the World Endurance Championship in 2026 including the Le Mans 24 Hours, where reliability is under scrutiny like nowhere else. What's more, there is a tacit admission, perhaps, that phasing out combustion-engined models has not been the sales winner it had hoped. Where once Genesis was keen to shout it would be an EV-only brand from 2030, it now says it intends to introduce hybrid models to complement its electric range, although when they arrive is unconfirmed – 'beyond 2026' was the closest we could get. Jonny Miller, the company's head of sales, says Genesis will remain 'focused on hospitality' – in other words, telling the world about its warranty and aftersales offer. Which, to be fair, has always been one of the key reasons to choose a Genesis over an Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz. Pros Luxurious interior Smooth ride (mostly) Lots of equipment and power for your money Cons Remote steering Suspension can feel a bit wallowy at speed Range and efficiency aren't brilliant Getting personal With a Genesis there's the same five-year warranty you'll get on a Hyundai. You also give five years's free servicing, with collection and delivery at no charge, as well as a Genesis personal assistant – a sort-of sales representative-plus to facilitate your purchase of a new Genesis, deliver the car when it's ready and help to arrange servicing and repairs thereafter. All this would be for nought if the cars were rubbish. And while earlier models felt a bit overwrought, the GV60 – an all-electric model – and the electrified version of the GV70 are both good enough to be considered alongside pukka premium rivals. To keep them fresh, Genesis is rolling out a series of upgrades to its entire range throughout this year. In the GV70's case, that means some nip and tuck to the outside – although you'll be hard-pushed to tell the new model apart from the old. Inside job It's the interior where the majority of the redesign has taken place; the twin displays have been melded into one large one that runs along the top of the dash, incorporating the touchscreen and the virtual instrument binnacle. The headline news is that you can now stream content from a host of providers on the screen while the car's in park, so you can catch up on your favourite box set while charging. Under the skin, battery capacity is up from 77kWh to 84kWh (these are gross figures; Genesis doesn't offer a usable battery figure, but it seems likely to be about 80kWh). There's a 298-mile official range (so 210-240 in the real world), which isn't great, probably because neither is this car's energy efficiency – 3.2mpkWh is fairly lacklustre these days. But if you can find a charger that'll match the 240kW maximum DC charging speed, you can top up from 10 to 80 per cent in only 19 minutes. Easier and plusher Also new is the virtual gear shift, lifted from the high-performance Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, so you can get a simulation of gear ratios that are changed by flicking the paddles (usually used for adjusting the level of regeneration braking). Generally speaking, the revised interior is an improvement – the huge new screen doesn't look too out of place against the original ovoid design motif, while a separate panel for the climate controls remains. You can also control the screen via a capstan in the centre console, which makes life easier than trying to prod the touchscreen. There's loads of room in the back seats and the boot is a good size (542 litres – more than a BMW iX3 or an Audi Q6 e-tron). What's more, pretty much everything you touch feels plush and leather-swathed, except for the slightly plasticky door handles. It's all screwed together beautifully, too. On the road Does it drive like a premium SUV, though? Yes and no. There's a slightly ponderous quality to the suspension that means it feels slow to react over longer undulations. The large wheels occasionally clump their way through sharper ridges, too. Yet this is all in extremis – most of the time, the GV70 feels very comfortable, like a big, slightly dopey luxury SUV, with a vaguely American air to the way it proceeds. And it's incredibly quick. Floor the accelerator pedal and the GV70 hunkers down and fires you forward. Stiffen it up by selecting sport mode and it copes surprisingly well, too, with body control tightened, albeit not perfectly. There's a huge amount of grip, too, although the relative lack of feel through the steering means it won't challenge a BMW iX3 for involvement. The Telegraph verdict Not many buyers will mind. There's definitely a place for a large, friendly SUV that prioritises comfort over driver thrills. Think of this as a Korean Volvo rather than a Korean BMW and you'll be closer to the mark. Is it enough to turn around Genesis's fortunes? Probably not in isolation. Then again, this is a competitively priced car that provides a surprising amount for your money. And when you consider the unparalleled after-care package, it's enough to mean a GV70 is still worth considering – even if you haven't heard of it before. The facts On test: Genesis Electrified GV70 Pure Body style: five-door SUV On sale: now How much? £65,915 on the road (range from £65,915) How fast? 146mph, 0-62mph in 4.4sec How economical? 3.2mpkWh (WLTP Combined) Electric powertrain: 2x AC permanent magnet synchronous motor with 84kWh (gross) battery, 240kW on-board charger, Type 2/CCS charging socket Electric range: 298 miles (WLTP Combined) Maximum power/torque: 483bhp/516lb ft CO2 emissions: 0g/km (tailpipe), 23g/km (well-to-wheel) VED: £10 first year, £620 next five years, then £195 Warranty: five years / 100,000 miles Spare wheel as standard: no (not available) The rivals BMW iX3 M Sport 278bhp, 285 miles, £65,160 on the road The iX3 struggles on until a new version arrives next year; its range is similarly poor by comparison with the GV70 and its charging speeds can't match up either, but it's slightly more efficient. Doesn't feel quite as plush inside, with less equipment, but it's also the driver's choice if you value feel and involvement. Audi Q6 e-tron Sport quattro 383bhp, 380 miles, £70,240 on the road On range the Q6 knocks the GV70 into a cocked hat but it is expensive and doesn't provide anywhere near as much power – or, in this entry-level form, as much equipment. But overall it's a highly capable EV, quiet, comfortable and beautifully built. But is it worth the extra?
Auto Express
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Genesis plans hybrid onslaught in ongoing quest to beat BMW and Mercedes
Genesis – the luxury arm of Hyundai – will launch a series of hybrids designed to bolster its position in the premium new-car market. It will allow the maker to launch all-new, multi-fuel models, as well as reintroduce cars that have been killed off by increasingly stringent emissions regulations. While the maker hasn't officially confirmed which models are in line for hybrid drive, UK brand director Jonny Miller told us the company would not retrofit petrol engines to dedicated EVs that currently sit on the E-GMP platform – 'of which we have one, in our range', he said. This rules out the GV60, but leaves the newly-facelifted GV70 SUV and G80 saloon as possible candidates for this new range of electrically-assisted combustion engines. Advertisement - Article continues below It's not clear what form the hybrid tech will take, but the brand's positioning in the market and Miller's comments about how any implementation would have to 'aid performance', would suggest a plug-in (PHEV) setup is likely. The UK boss refused to write anything off, however, insisting 'if [Genesis has] the technology within the [Hyundai] Group' that anything is possible. Miller hinted that as a collective, Hyundai and Genesis were also working on a range-extender (REx) setup, with the tech proving particularly popular in Asian markets. Volkswagen has recently hinted at plans to bring REx models to Europe, potentially allowing ageing ICE cars – models that would otherwise be axed due to emissions legislation – a stay of execution. Miller also said the move could allow Genesis to 'bring back models that were previously offered with a petrol engine' – cars such as the GV80, and possibly even the G70 and G70 Shooting Brake. It may also present the maker with an opportunity to finally sell the GV80 Coupe here; UK buyers have so far been denied the BMW X6 rival due to limited powertrain choice, and the manufacturer's need to meet ZEV Mandate targets. We could see the first hybrid-powered Genesis variants as soon as this year, alongside the first of the firm's hot Magma cars, based on Hyundai's N and Kia's flagship GT models. Miller said Magma will be the 'pinnacle of the range' and 'only available with that top spec, top engine'. Fancy a Genesis on your driveway? Our dealer network has fantastic cars on offer right now with new, used and leasing deals to choose from...
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Fresh GV70 lands as Genesis rumours swirl
Recently, the Korean media got into a frenzy, claiming that HMG may be returning to Russia. The car market there is in turmoil, Chinese brands continue to attack but sales volume has collapsed, even for Lada. Long gone are the years of Kia and Hyundai being big players and Genesis a rising star. We know what happened in 2022. It's been four years since Hyundai brought the premium marque to the UK, Switzerland and Germany but their combined volume has always been modest at best. Nothing like how strong Genesis had been in Russia, a market which OEMs - Toyota is the best example - have often grouped as part of their European region. Now: GB, CH, DE; next: SE, NO, DK etc? No-one on the recent media preview of the updated Electrified GV70 would say anything about possible new markets. There again, the global boss himself denied that Genesis would enter Le Mans/Daytona/the World Endurance Championship when I asked him at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last year. Soon after, a statement out of Korea said the opposite: an entry for LMDh would be happening. Still, he did at least give me an exclusive about hybrid plans when I asked him. So. Who knows what is true and what isn't when it comes to Genesis' plans. It does seem highly likely that new countries will be announced. At a guess I would say the Nordics, France, Spain, Italy and others. Certainly, the range of models is now ideal with the facelifted GV60 and G80 revealed earlier in 2025 on their way to the existing three European countries during Q3. GV60, GV70 & G80: facelifts for all three What we do know is that the GV60 remains electric-only worldwide, but non-EV versions of the updated GV70 are not coming to the existing three European markets. Nor will there be a right-hand drive G90, which is a shame but understandable. Despite how fantastic it looks, a six-figures Korean limo would be a hard sell in the UK. We will have only a long-wheelbase Electrified G80 when the refreshed car lands here in July or August, the standard length body having been discontinued worldwide. Oh, and a reminder that the G70 and GV80 are no longer imported to Britain, meaning the once-big range of models is now more sensibly sized. The factory-owned importer is far from discouraged by the slow-slow pace of sales these last few years. In fact, even allowing for a sudden drop in April, 2025 has so far been a good year, Q1 deliveries being strong. Now with the Electrified GV70 revamp and two more refreshes following soon, momentum should build. Why not just GV70 when it's EV-only? I put it to head of Sales Jonny Miller that surely Genesis UK could drop the Electrified part of the model names. In theory this would work, he could see, so that we have the GV60, GV70 and G80 but for now, the Electrified prefix stays (though the GV60 has never had that). And the pre-facelift model will be around for a while yet, as stocks of IC-powered variants were ordered for those prospective buyers who don't want an EV, whatever the brand. Changes to the car itself are more extensive than it seems via a casual glance. Even the diamond-pattern front panel, which is a grille in the petrol variants sold elsewhere, is fresh. And where you used to press to make the spring-loaded charging port cover open, this is now electric: it makes a little whir as the covered sockets are revealed. Oh, and it's heated (snow). Interior even more luxurious than it had been Headlights too are new, the same applies for the bumpers, the wheels are different designs, paint choices have also changed and the interior has had a big makeover. Sadly, the HVAC system is mostly screen-based but there are at least a couple of dials to twiddle and the software in general worked rapidly in the cars I drove. There is a long OLED display atop the dashboard now, while three colour choices feature: black, white & blue or grey & brown. The second and third of those options look rather luxurious in fact even if those combinations may not sound as if they work. They certainly do. Speaking of luxury, Genesis operates a concierge-style service for owners, even though the original We-Come-To-You approach is now expanding to bricks and mortar sales sites. Robin Price, the Product Manager, claims this is 'A five-star experience that respects your time, unlike any other car brand'. In fact, Genesis needs to collect and return an owner's car when it needs a service or has a fault. Why? Because there have only ever been 'Studios', similar to the display spaces Polestar, Tesla and others operate in shopping malls. A hybrid (or an EREV?) to reach Europe in 2027? Even though this brand had at one time declared that it would be electric-only by 2025, this plan was binned in 2024 as the world and laws on emissions keep evolving. Diesel engines for all Genesis models are also now in the past but one or more hybrids are in the future. In the case of the JK1 series GV70, such a car will be in production towards the end of next year. Or so say sources in South Korea, the cypher for this derivative being JKa. The three-letters code gives the game away on where the hybrid will be manufactured: in HMG-speak, a lower case a signifies the United States. However the lead plant will remain in Korea (Ulsan). Dating to 2020, the first generation GV70 will have an extended life, HMG brand models often living for a mere six years with a facelift three years in. A successor probably now won't come until 2028, due to the adaptation of the present model's chassis for a petrol-electric powertrain. Will this be a series hybrid or will it instead have a range extender? Nobody is saying. Ten years of Genesis It may look like a crossover but the Electrified GV70 is marketed as an SUV. It even has Snow/Mud/Sand settings and standard four-wheel drive. There is a way of making it mimic a V6 too, this being via an 'Active Sounds' function. Other than that, the two motors keep themselves near-silent, as befits any vehicle from what is a luxury make. And this year marks one decade since Genesis became a brand, evolving out of a Hyundai sedan's name. Another big change is a fresh battery, the former 77.4 kWh net one being replaced by an 84 kWh one. This, we suspected would happen, due to certain Hyundai and Kia EVs gaining the same capacity pack of cells last year. I didn't get to test the car for more than an hour or two, but I did notice that 84% of remaining range equated to 240 miles. Or so the instrument cluster claimed. The WLTP rating is up to 298 miles. Three trim levels, one battery, up to 360 kW The model grades have also been refreshed, the new three names being Pure (from GBP61,915 OTR before options), Dynamic (GBP70,715) and Luxury (GBP74,915). Each of these gets the CCIC or Connected Car Integrated Cockpit, Google Maps within the gauges cluster, entertainment streaming (the transmission must be in Park) and a B&O sound system. This is quite a fast and powerful vehicle, combined outputs from the two x 180 kW motors being 324 kW (440 PS) and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft). That's not the complete story though, as pressing a boost button liberates an additional fifty pferdestarke (490 PS = 360 kW). The 'VGS' mode (Virtual Gear Shift) mentioned above is fairly convincing at making this feel like an ICE-powered car too. It somehow even makes the single-speed transmission sound as though it has eight ratios. Amazing stuff. Summary Pricing is up but that can be justified when the the levels of standard equipment, clever and genuinely useful technology, driving dynamics and looks have been so greatly improved. Some may find the ride a tiny bit firm on British roads but most buyers won't notice this. The revamped GV70 looks set for more success during what will be a few years yet of an eventual long life cycle."Fresh GV70 lands as Genesis rumours swirl" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. 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